Toothpick and method of making same



July 17, 1923. 1.462062 G. M. BROWNING TOOTHPICK AND METHOD OF MAKINGSAME Filed NOV. 1, 1922 GEORGE BRO WN I N G.

Patented July 17, 1923.

1,462,062- PATENT OFFICE. i

-' -"'UNITED, STATES" H. BROWNING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

roomiirrcx AND nn'rnon or MAKING sum.

{ Application filed November 1, 1922. Serial m. 598,284.

picks and Methods of Making Same, of which'the following is aspecification.

M invention relates broadly to the production of toothpicks in integralsheet form, adapted to be broken from the sheet along previously cutlines, the useful end of the picks normally lying within the margin ofthe sheet.

The primary object of the invention is the production of a methodwherebythe tooth picks are formed and packaged for sanitary, convenient andeconomical use, and whereby to produce acarrier, such as a card or stripcomposed ofcelluloid or other suitable material, adapted to displayadvertising matter, and provided with cut portions converging inwardlyfrom the mar in of the carrier, to form the outlined ge of the toothpick.

A further object of my invention relates to a tooth pick of thischaracterprovided with a centrally disposed score on which the toothpick is adapted to be longitudinally bent after separation from thesheet,

to effect a rigid 1picking point, resembling the well known qui toothpick.

A still further object of my invention resides in the formation of theedge or margin of the carrier or sheet ad'acent each cut line whereby topermit rea y separation of the pick therefrom, as desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a business card or carrier showing thetoothpick blanks arranged in groups to provide a space for the insertionof advertising matter.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating thecharacter of the cuts which form the outlines of the toothpick blanksand also the lines of scoring.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one o the toothpick blanks after it hasbeen broken from the carrier.

Fig. 4 is a erspective view of the'same blank folded longitudinally onthe scored line, ready for use.

Fig. 5 is a modification showmg my invention applied to carriers ofcircular form whereby the entire marginal surface is utilized fortoothpick blanks, and

Fig. 6 is aifurther modification illustrating my invention made in stripform and utllizing the entire space in an economical manner.

The numeral 10 designates a thin sheet preferably of celluloid, althoughit will be 7 understood that any sheet material which may be foldedalong scored lines and broken along partially cut lines could be readilysubstituted therefor, and would therefore come within the scope of myinvention,

In Fig. 1, I have shown the preferred form of my invention whichindicates a business or advertising card or carrier of the sheetmaterial 10. At each of the four corners of the carrier are formed aplurality of integral toothpicks 11, which are formed by cutting thecard through approximately 50% of its thickness along the lines 12,thereby forming the outline of the toothpicks. The tensile strengthof-the material is thus materially'reduced alon the cut lines and it isonly necessary to end the carrier slightly on any pair of adjacent linesto separate a toothpick from the carrier. It is therefore preferred thatthe cut lines 12 terminate within the margin of the carrier, but, incertain cases, the lines 12 may be .extended to the margin, when thecarrier is formed of the appropriate matepick from a group, as will bereadily understood.

Each of the toothpick blanks 11 isrovided with a lengthwise score 16, w'ch extends centrally from the base of each pick, at the margin of thecard, and terminating a short distance from the useful point 17 thereof.This blank 11, shown enlarged in Fig. 3, may be readily folded along thescored line 16, after separation from the card, causing it to assume theshape shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted that, when the blank 11 is thusfolded on the scored line 16,

the wedge shaped portion adjacent the useful point 17 is curvedupwardly, for all useful purposes and effect, to resemble the well knownquill toothpick.

The carrier of sheet material 10 may be of any preferred shape, andformed with the toothpick blanks 11 arranged in any desired manner, suchas for example the modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6. I prefer,however to provide a space, on the card, between the toothpick groups,for the insertion of advertising matter, such as is indicated at 14.

What I claim is:

1. A toothpick carrier comprising a sheet of hard flexible materialhaving surface cuts arranged to outline toothpick blanks therebetween.

2. A toothpick carrier comprising a sheet of brittle flexible materialhaving surface cuts arranged to outline toothpick blanks therebetween,and scored lines arranged centrally between each pair of said cuts.

3. A toothpick carrier comprising a sheet of hard flexible materialhaving surface cuts arranged to outline toothpick blanks therebetween,said cuts terminating within the margin of said sheet.

4. A toothpick carrier comprising a sheet of brittle flexible materialhaving surface asaoaa cuts arranged to form toothpick blankstherebetween, said cuts terminating within the margin of said sheet andsaid margin being notched out at points adjacent each of said cuts.

5. A toothpick carrier comprising a sheet of hard flexible materialhaving a portion of its surface cut to outline toothpick blanks.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a carrier having cut linesextending from marginal points to common points remote from. the edgethereof to outline toothpicks therebetween.

7. A toothpick card comprising a flat sheet of celluloid having surfacecut lines extending from marginal points to common points remote fromthe edge thereof to form toothpicks therebetween and having scoresbetween said cut lines on which the toothpicks are adapted to be foldedafter being broken fr'om the card.

8. A toothpick comprising a flat substantially wedge shaped body havinga score extending throughout a portion of its length on which the bodyis adapted to be longitudinally bent, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si nature.

GEORGE M. BROl V ING.

